-2-
it was estimated, in 1868, that, owing to smuggling, more
than half the import duties on opium were lost to the
revenue, and from other evasions of duty the Hoppo's
personal loss was probably much more. It thus became
evident, as was announced by Viceroy Jui-lin, in a
proclamation dated the 1st July, 1868, that proventive
stations were nooded along the short land-frontier in
the Kowloon peninsula and accordingly "offices for
the levy of the tax on opium" wore established at
Cap-sui-gun, at Lyemun and in Kowloon, while the circum-
jacent waters were patrolled by armed boats. These
measures were most obnoxious to the merchants of Hong
Kong; and in July, 1868, a petition was presented to
Governor Sir R. G. MacDonnell by 112 Hong Kong firms
protesting against this "direct and high-handed attack
upon the commerce of the island" and stating that the
cffcct was "as though we were at war with China and the
port blockaded". Thenceforward this episode was known
as"the blockade of Hong Kong".
was very detrimental to trade.
It lasted many years and
In general the Hoppo's right to take thosc
preventive measures was admitted both by the British
Lcgation at Pcking and by the British Forcign Officc.
But whatever the abstract right in the matter, a Chinese
administration is always attended by abuses, from:
:
intention or laxity of procedure and these forced themselves
upon on the notice of the Hong Kong community and
intensified
88